WINSTED >> The Winchester Board of Education will soon be revisiting the idea of consolidating the elementary and high school system, as recommended by the Board of Selectmen Monday night.

The Republican led Board invited both the and representatives from The Gilbert School to present at a meeting held at The Gilbert School Monday night. After hearing about academic activities and fiscal concerns, selectman Candace Bouchard moved that the school board consider closing a school to “realize” financial savings and consolidate the schools into a K-12 system.

“What we asked for was a feasibility study of a K-12 [system] and a consolidation of a K-6,” said Mayor Lisa Smith.

According to Smith, there is new legislation from the state, Public Act 13-60, that allows boards of finance to make recommendations to boards of education that would help in cost saving measures. Once the board gives its recommendation, the school board must respond in writing, but can deny the recommendation if it chooses.

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The action wasn’t on the agenda, which was pointed out by selectmen Candy Perez, one of two Democrats on the board. Once faced with that opposition, Smith asked for a motion to add it, though the meeting was well underway. Republicans added the consolidation to the conversation and the motion was passed 5-1 with Perez abstaining and selectman George Closson, the other Democrat, voting against it.

Susan Hoffnagle, chairman of the Board of Education, said because the motion was not initially on the table, it was also completely unexpected.

“There is no way in my mind that we can close a school today,” Hoffnagle said. “We have some empty classrooms but not enough that we can consolidate all three schools into two. I just don’t see that as being cost effective in any way, shape or form.”

The Winchester School District operates Batchellor School, Hinsdale Elementary School and Pearson School.

For Hoffnagle, the recommendation is premature and does not consider all the parties involved. The second proposal made was to consolidate the elementary school with The Gilbert School.

“Well, that would be nice to do, but we do not own the high school,” Hoffnagle said. “We cannot force consolidation on them. We don’t control Gilbert and we don’t have any ability to consolidate with them.”

For Smith, the recommendation comes because of the declining enrollment in the three town-run schools. The buildings that are not being used to complete capacity, according to Smith and other Republicans.

“We’re looking for our Board of Education to work with The Gilbert School,” Smith said. “We’re only making the recommendations. The way they would structure it would be between Gilbert School and the Winchester Board of Education.”

In response to the mayor’s position on declining enrollment, Winchester Public Schools Superintendent Thomas Danehy reminded the selectmen that he’s seen a trend that refutes her point.

According to Danehy, the school has hired several teachers to accommodate the increase in kindergarten and first grade enrollment. He said, in ensuing years, the board will need to hire additional teachers in higher grades to meet the needs of the students matriculating into second and third grade.

Danehy said the schools typically see about 80 or less students in the kindergarten and first grade classes. This year, however, there are currently 93 students in Kindergarten and 113 students in first grade.

“Is this a trend or is this a fluke?” asked Danehy. “Or is it that younger families are moving to town with children and find Winsted a good place to be to educate their children?”

Danehy said whether the influx of students is a trend will not be clear until September when enrollment numbers comes in.

This idea to consolidate isn’t new, according to Hoffnagle. A few years ago, the Board of Education conducted a study on school enrollment, consolidation, and savings. In that study, the recommendation of was made to close all three elementary school and build one school to hold all of Winchester’s elementary children.

“We have had the Massive Facilities Study before,” she said. “The conclusion there was that we need to address that outstanding capital items...The most cost effective means of dealing with the schools would be to build a brand new K-6 and get rid of all three schools we have now or alternatively renovate as new.”

Each elementary school is currently facing capital issues of old boilers which need repair, damaged parking lots and roofs that are “beyond useful life.”

Hoffnagle said she will connect with the rest of the Board of Education to decide what action to take.

Editor’s Note: In an earlier version of this story, abstaining and enrollment were misspelled.

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Reporter Mercy Quaye covers statewide breaking news for The New Haven Register, The Middletown Press, and The Register Citizen. Reach the author at mquaye@registercitizen.com
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